Digger forced to kill rogue Afghan soldier: NATO

An ''insider attack'' in which an Australian was forced to shoot dead an Afghan soldier who had opened fire on coalition troops happened after an argument between international and Afghan forces, NATO and Afghan officials say.

A New Zealand soldier was wounded in the foot and an Australian received minor fragmentation wounds after the Afghan soldier opened fire on coalition troops on Saturday morning Afghanistan time at a compound in the Qargha region just outside Kabul.

Acting Chief of the Defence Force Air Marshal Mark Binskin praised as quick and professional the response of Australians providing ''force protection'' to their comrades - a practice that has been elevated in the wake of repeated insider attacks.

''Australian and New Zealand soldiers are highly professional and it is good news that no serious injuries were sustained in this attack,'' he said.

The wounded Australian has returned to duty.

Reuters quoted NATO and Afghan officials as saying an argument had broken out between an international soldier and an Afghan soldier. ''There was an argument between an Afghan and foreign soldier inside a military base … where they opened fire on each other. An investigation is ongoing,'' defence ministry spokesman Dawlat Waziri said.

The BBC also quoted NATO officials saying there had been an argument but the Australian Defence Department refused to comment.

The attack happened at an Afghan National Army compound close to the Afghan National Army Officer Academy, where Australians are training their counterparts.

Air Marshal Binskin said the Australians and the New Zealander were leaving the compound when they came under fire from the Afghan soldier.

He said the Australians and New Zealanders were talking to members of the dead Afghan's unit to establish his motive for the attack.

Seven Australians have been killed in such insider attacks, including three in a single incident in August last year. The perpetrator in that case was extradited from Pakistan this month to face charges in Afghanistan.

Australia is due to pull most of its troops out of Afghanistan by the end of the year.